Tiferes High School

Tiferes High School The Community Centre, 18 Raleigh Close, Hendon, London NW4 2TA

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The proprietors and senior leaders have not ensured that all of the independent school standards are met.  The school building has not been maintained to a suitable standard, increasing risks to pupils’ safety, health and welfare. The outdoor space does not provide pupils with a pleasant area to relax and socialise at breaktimes.  The headteacher is highly ambitious for pupils. The proprietors and staff share his high aspirations for pupils’ academic and personal development. These ambitions are not reflected in the poor condition of the premises.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders check the quality of teaching and provide effective support for teachers. However, they do not use all evidence available to provide teachers with additional information on how to improve their practice further.  Good teaching secures strong progress in all subjects across the curriculum, including in English and mathematics.  Progress in writing is good overall, but younger pupils do not write at length with confidence independently. Teachers do not routinely identify the grammatical skills pupils need to use to be successful writers.  Pupils behave well. They are polite, respectful and highly cooperative. Safeguarding arrangements keep pupils safe and secure.  The curriculum is creative and provides wide- ranging learning experiences. It promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  While pupils are able to appreciate and respect the diverse nature of British society, they rarely

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

mix with other pupils from different ethic and faith backgrounds.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school must take action to meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and associated requirements. The details are listed in the full report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in writing to secure outstanding progress by ensuring that: – pupils are told explicitly the grammatical skills they will need in order to write fluently – these skills are modelled by teachers to identify strengths in writing and indicate what pupils need to work on next – there are further opportunities for pupils to write at length in this and other subjects.  Strengthen leadership and management by: – making sure that all of the independent school standards are met – using the work in pupils’ books to judge the impact that teaching has on progress, and use this information to provide teachers with incisive feedback so that they can plan their teaching more precisely – enrich pupils’ social and cultural development by providing first-hand opportunities for pupils to meet people from different backgrounds.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Senior leaders and the proprietors have not ensured that all of the independent school standards are met. These relate mainly to the state of the school premises, which could compromise pupils’ welfare, health and safety.  The school building is not maintained well enough to secure pupils’ safety and welfare as effectively as it should. There are large cracks in windows, which are temporarily taped up, broken floor tiles, poor standards of decoration in classrooms and corridors, and a lack of attentiveness in making sure that all electrical equipment is safe to use. Some of the outdoor spaces are unsuitable for pupils to socialise and relax outside at breaktimes.  Senior leaders have created an open and supportive learning ethos, where staff are encouraged to share effective practice together. Staff benefit from a range of professional training opportunities and use these to promote their own practice

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

enthusiastically.  Some of the least experienced teachers are very well supported by more experienced teachers. Unqualified teachers are encouraged to gain nationally recognised qualifications to support their professional development.  Senior leaders diligently check the quality of teaching and the progress that pupils make through observations and ongoing and termly assessments. They know what is working well and have accurately identified the school’s priorities.  Nonetheless, senior leaders do not routinely examine the standard of work in pupils’ books. This prevents them from being absolutely sure that their evaluations are as robust as they could be. Furthermore, this vital evidence is not used to provide incisive feedback to teachers so that they can refine and amend their planning and improve their teaching. This is would be particularly beneficial in securing sustained and strong progress in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

writing.  Middle leaders are passionate about the subjects they lead. They liken the staff room to a ‘market of information’, such is the strength of the collaborative teamwork that exists in the school. All middle leaders work closely with senior leaders to plan for further improvement.  The curriculum is divided equitably between faith and secular subjects. It covers all areas of learning and provides experiences for pupils to develop understanding, knowledge and skills in a range of subjects effectively.  Extra-curricular activities are very wide-ranging and provide relevant contexts for pupils to learn and develop successfully. These include seminars, visits to local London attractions, including the Tate Modern, visitors and residential trips. Activities enable pupils to help older people within the community, and to provide support and raise funds for a wide range of charities. Regular events enable pupils to develop leadership skills, to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

cooperate and to be creative when they plan, produce and present shows for their parents.  The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, as well as promoting fundamental British values. Pupils’ artwork is of a high standard and develops pupils’ ability to respond emotionally and intellectually to the world around them. Pupils talk with immense insight and enthusiasm about their artwork. They explain how it helps them to highlight injustices, such as global poverty, including in Africa, and the rights of people, such as the suffragettes’ fight for the rights of women to vote. Positive role models from different faiths and cultures are presented to the pupils, including Malala Yousafzai and Nelson Mandela.  The citizenship and personal, social, health and economic education programmes help pupils to understand life in modern Britain. Nonetheless, pupils do not routinely get

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

opportunities to meet people with different faiths and cultural traditions, which limits the impact of the school’s effective work in this area.  Senior leaders explained that there is tension and mistrust within the local community between the school’s Jewish values and what parents perceive as the requirements outlined in the independent school standards, relating to the Equality Act 2010. To ensure that pupils’ views were taken into account while respecting parents’ wishes, inspectors met with pupils and two members of staff attended the meeting.  Senior leaders, including the proprietors, ensure that principles are actively promoted which encourage respect for other people, paying regard to the particular characteristics set out in the Equalities Act 2010.

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Governance

 Governance consists of two trustees, one being the chair. It was established during this inspection that the named proprietor has not changed since the previous inspection, but was reported erroneously in the previous report. Trustees have an accurate view of the school’s provision. They know the impact that leaders have on key aspects of the school, including the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. However, they, together with senior leaders, have not ensured that all of the independent school standards are met relating to the poor fabric of the building, which compromises pupils’ welfare and safety.  Governors have supported other leaders in meeting the independent school standards regarding promoting respect for other people, paying particular regard to those who are protected by law.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The procedures for safeguarding ensure that pupils are safe and well cared for.  Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities and refer their concerns to the designated safeguarding lead and/or two safeguarding deputies. They receive regular training, keeping everyone’s safeguarding and child protection understanding up to date and relevant. This includes issues related to radicalisation and extremism, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.  Policies include and follow all the statutory guidance and provide helpful advice and information for staff. Staff have a good understanding of pupils and their families, which means that safeguarding is a constant focus for everyone.  The clear procedures to identify any pupils experiencing difficulty ensure that support is available quickly. Leaders have positive relationships with outside agencies and liaise

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Safeguarding

effectively with the local authorities when required.  Site security is very effective, with tight checks on access to the premises and confirmation of visitors’ identities.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge and use this to motivate pupils to want to find out more. Pupils are always willing to try to achieve their very best. Their positive attitudes to learning and an almost instinctive approach to working together are key factors in their academic and personal success.  The calm learning environment ensures that pupils feel secure and are able to apply themselves with sustained concentration to their learning. Relationships between teachers and pupils are strong, and based on mutual respect.  Teachers plan work which is usually well matched to the different ability groups in lessons. Work systematically builds on what pupils know and can do well. This secures strong progress, particularly in mathematics, science and art.  Teachers ask pupils probing questions to clarify key concepts and to deepen pupils’ understanding effectively. They encourage pupils to share their ideas to support the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

learning of others in the class.  Most pupils read with confidence and fluency. The school has rightly recognised that some pupils do not read regularly enough, and have set up a library, which pupils use routinely. Those pupils who find reading hard are given additional support to develop their speech and language and/or comprehension skills well.  Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities have tailored individual plans to make sure that they have the right level and type of support to reach their targets.  Progress is not always as strong as it could be when teachers do not provide a clear breakdown of what grammatical skills pupils will need to use and apply in their writing. This means that pupils do not always use the right skills to be successful writers and prevents both teachers and pupils from identifying precisely how to deepen their understanding further and improve their learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Younger pupils are not fluent in how to use and apply key grammatical skills in extended pieces of writing, especially when working independently.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  Almost all of the school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is at least good. Immediately after the inspection, leaders acted quickly to address a specific issue inspectors raised regarding a potential safety hazard. Nonetheless, other weaknesses identified in the condition of the premises diminishes the impact of leaders’ work to promote pupils’ personal welfare overall.  The school’s family ethos nurtures the welfare of pupils very well. Each pupil has a named adult they can talk to if they have any concerns. Pupils’ mental and physical health is fostered well. Dedicated health-promoting weeks in the curriculum provide an effective forum for pupils to understand the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including insight into how to sustain a strong mental attitude, with advice from visitors,

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Personal development and welfare

including psychologists.  Leaders have a coordinated approach to resolving any concerns about pupils, should they arise. Indeed, parents confirm that this nurturing approach is ‘typically Tiferes’ and is equally extended to them when they request advice and guidance.  Pupils understand and appreciate the importance of their education. They are keen to achieve well and to make the most of what the school can offer them.  Careers guidance is impartial and enables pupils to make informed choices linked to their individual talents and aspirations. This, together with a creative and stimulating curriculum, prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education, employment or training.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when online. The personal, social, health and economic education programme and additional activities, including assemblies and discussions, provide pupils with opportunities to explore a range of potential

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Personal development and welfare

dangers, and teach them how to manage most risks.  Almost all forms of bullying and the consequences of such behaviour are covered. However, the anti-bullying policy does not refer specifically to homophobic bullying as a form of discriminatory bullying. This is despite leaders fostering a greater understanding of and respect for people of different sexual orientations through their words, actions and influence within the school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are considerate, kind and polite. They show considerable respect for each other, staff and visitors. They are proud of their school, keen to display their work and talk to visitors about how the school helps them to achieve, grow and flourish.  Pupils rise to adults’ high expectations, displaying self-control and maturity. They listen carefully to each other and to their teachers, concentrating well on their work.  Pupils’ conduct in class and around school is good, which contributes to a calm and orderly learning environment.  The recent focus on rewarding good behaviour using a points system, culminating in special rewards and recognition, has reduced incidents of poor behaviour. There are hardly any incidents, including any forms of bullying.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and their attendance is well above average.  Pupils’ behaviour is not outstanding because when lessons lack challenge, pupils become

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Teachers assess pupils’ attainment levels when they join the school in Year 7. Assessments on entry to the school indicate that the proportion of Year 7 pupils achieving age-related expectations this year is much lower than in previous years. Pupils’ progress is regularly checked as they progress through each year and key stage.  There is very little variation in the progress different groups of pupils make. Pupils below age-related expectations and those at risk of falling behind are identified swiftly. Further support is put in place to make sure that they catch up and achieve at least age-related expectations over the year.  The most able pupils’ progress is checked with further demanding work provided to make sure they continue to make strong and sustained progress. Some pupils are entered early for GCSEs in mathematics, art, Modern Hebrew and Biblical Hebrew studies, and go on to study at AS and A levels in Years 10 and 11.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good and often outstanding progress. They are supported very effectively by teaching staff, including the special educational needs team. Good use is made of internal expertise and external agencies, including speech and language therapists and the educational psychologist. As a result, these pupils undertake work that is exceptionally well matched to their individual needs.  At the end of Year 11, attainment levels are routinely well above average, as reflected in GCSEs and other nationally recognised qualifications. This is in a wide range of subjects, including English, mathematics and science. From broadly average starting points this represents good and sometimes rapid gains in pupils’ learning and progress. This is confirmed by the work in pupils’ books and school information.  All Year 11 pupils go on to seminaries or further education.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

Proprietor London Jewish Girls’ High Ltd

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11–13 November 2014

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Information about this school

 Tiferes High School, formerly known as London Jewish Girls High school, is an independent day school for 125 girls aged 11 to 16 years.  The school is located in a residential area in Barnet. It was founded in 1997 as a charitable trust.  There are currently 142 girls on roll. Two have a statement of special educational needs. The school is currently in breach of its registration.  The school is based in a building that was originally designed as a meeting hall and which is owned by the synagogue.  The school aims to ‘educate its pupils to fill the traditional role of a Bas Yisroel in the modern world’.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  The school was last inspected in November 2014 when its overall effectiveness was judged to be good. All bar one of the independent school standards were met.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors conducted observations in classrooms. Most of these observations were jointly undertaken with senior leaders.  Inspectors spoke to a small group of pupils accompanied by two members of staff. The parents of these pupils gave their consent for inspectors to talk to their children. Approximately a quarter of parents contacted inspectors and expressed their wish that inspectors did not meet their children to discuss matters relating to the Equality Act 2010.  Inspectors listened to a group of pupils read.  Meetings were held with senior leaders and the chair of the governing body. Inspectors also held discussions with leaders responsible for particular aspects of the school’s work.  Inspectors conducted a premises walk with senior leaders and scrutinised records of checks on the premises, including risk assessments.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including information about pupils’ progress,

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Information about this inspection

school policies and schemes of work.  Inspectors looked at behaviour records, attendance information and documents relating to safeguarding to check their compliance with the independent school standards.  Inspectors met with some parents on day three of the inspection. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, or to other surveys provided by Ofsted during the inspection. Inspectors took into account 13 staff questionnaires.  A wide range of pupils’ work was scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Mary Hinds, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that— – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and  10 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that bullying at the school is prevented in so far as reasonably practicable, by the drawing up and implementation of an effective anti-bullying strategy.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 25 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of pupils are ensured. – 28(1)(d) the temperature of hot water at the point of use does not pose a scalding risk to users.  29(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that suitable outdoor space is provided in order to enable— – 29(1)(b) pupils to play outside.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school— – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils. guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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